Ginandjar testifies in Pertamina corruption case<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Former minister of mines and energy Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita was questioned at the Attorney General's Office on
\nTuesday as a witness in a corruption case involving state-owned
\noil and gas company Pertamina and PT Ustraindo Petro Gas.<\/p>\n
During the questioning, which lasted seven hours, Ginandjar
\nanswered 26 questions from a joint team comprising military
\nprosecutors Comr. Subandi Parto, Col. Sonson Basar, Col. Salamun
\nand Col. Darya Iskandar, and Barman Zahir, Fachmi, Yan Mere and
\nNawir Anas from the Attorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar answered questions about his successor Ida Bagus
\nSudjana, former Pertamina president Faisal Abda'oe and PT
\nUstraindo director Praptono H. Upojo, who have been named
\nsuspects in the corruption case, which allegedly resulted in
\n$24.8 million in state losses.<\/p>\n
As a retired Air Force vice marshal, Ginandjar was accompanied
\nat the questioning by three officers from the Indonesian Military
\nLegal Aid Body, as well as his civilian lawyers O.C. Kaligis,
\nMuhammad Assegaf and Muchyar Yara.<\/p>\n
\"I only received the summons on Friday night. I decided to
\ncome in as a show of good will. I want this case to be completed
\nsoon,\" Ginandjar said before entering the Attorney General's
\nOffice.<\/p>\n
During the lunch break, Assegaf told journalists the questions
\ncentered on Ginandjar's knowledge of the corruption case, which
\nallegedly occurred during his term as minister and Pertamina
\nchief commissioner.<\/p>\n
The questioning ended at 5 p.m. and will be continued on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
There is still no official word if and when Ginandjar will be
\nquestioned as a suspect in the case.<\/p>\n
Kaligis said the questioning went forward only after
\nIndonesian Military Commander Adm. Widodo A.S. gave his approval.<\/p>\n
\"This was in agreement with Article 9 of Law No. 31\/1997,
\nbecause when the case occurred Ginandjar was an active military
\nofficer,\" Kaligis said, referring to the law on military
\ntribunals.<\/p>\n
Ginandjar's appearance at the Attorney General's Office was
\nmarked by an ugly incident, with the former minister's bodyguards
\ninsulting and pushing back journalists. In response, several
\njournalists chased after the bodyguards and struck their car.<\/p>\n
In a written statement on Tuesday evening, Ginandjar
\napologized for the incident.<\/p>\n
According to an investigation by the Attorney General's
\nOffice, deals signed by Pertamina and PT Ustraindo violated
\nregulations on technical assistance contracts because they
\ncovered oil fields that were still productive.<\/p>\n
The investigation also showed that while regulations required
\nPT Ustraindo to pay for the development of the contract areas, it
\nwas Pertamina that bore the costs of development, causing $18
\nmillion in losses to the state.<\/p>\n
The contracts with PT Ustraindo covered oil fields in Bunyu,
\nEast Kalimantan, Prabumulih and Pendopo in South Sumatra, and
\nJatibarang on the north coast of West Java.<\/p>\n
In February and March 1995, Sudjana allegedly approved
\namendments to the contracts with PT Ustraindo, resulting in the
\ngovernment receiving a smaller percentage of the oil from these
\nfields, causing $6.8 million in losses to the state.(hdn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ginandjar-testifies-in-pertamina-corruption-case-1447893297",
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